Combined communication-sheet and envelop.



No. 738,943. PATBNTED SEPT. 15, 190s. J. w. RICE. COMBINEDv GOMMUNICATIONSHEBT AND BNVELOP..

APPLICATION FIIAIBD NOV. 13. *1902.l N0 MODEL.

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' UNITED STATES Patented September 15, 1903.

JOHN W. RICE, OF ATLANTA, GEORGIA. d

COMBINEDV COMMUNICATION-SHEET AND ENVELOP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 738,943, dated September 15, 1903.

Application led November 13, 1902. Serial No. 131.236. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom it Wwf/y concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN W. RICE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Atlanta, in the county of Fulton and State of Georgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Combined Communication- Sheet and Envelop; and l do declare the following to be a full, clear,rand exact description of the invention, such as will enable others'skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a combined communication or letter sheet and envelop. Its Objectis to provide a single sheet or blank of paper or suitable material so formed as to provide a body portion with suitable holding or sealing flaps and a foldable sheet, the'latter designed to receive a suitable printed or written communication or to serve as a billhead or statement and to be folded in such manner as to conceal such written or printed matter and to be held loosely folded or sealed by one of said flaps, forming a combined letter-sheet and envelop which may be sent through the mail as-first or second class matter, as desired and according to the character of said communication.

A further object is to provide a letter-sheet and envelop of this character in whichprovision is made whereby the name and address of the sendee written upon the foldable sheet may appear through the face or body portion of the envelop, so that the sendees name and address as a part of the communication may serve also as the envelop-add ress.

With these and other minor objects in View the invention consists of a letter-sheet and envelop embodying'certain novel features of construction, as will be hereinafter fully described, and particularly set forth in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figurel is a front or face View of a combinedlettersheet and envelop embodying my invention,

showing the same folded in envelop form forV mailing. Fig. 2 is a back view of the same, showing the sheet held folded by the end flap. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the sheet held folded by the top flap. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section through the folded envelop shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a Vertical section through the envelop shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is an inside view of the combined sheet and envelop-blank as it appears in plan in readiness to be folded.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, l represents the body or face portion of the envelop, which is in the present instance provided with an observation-opening 2, through which the name and address of the sendee on the letter-sheet, hereinafter described, is exposed to view, but which may be formed without the opening, in which case the name and address of the sendee may be printed or written on the outer or front surface of said face portion. At the top, bottom, and one end of this face portion are flaps 3, 4, and 5, adapted to be folded over upon the same in connection with the lettersheet to form the complete'envelop and to hold said sheet in folded condition. At the end of the portion 1 opposite the flap 5 is a letter or communication sheet 6, which is of a length or depth corresponding to the combined length or depth of the portion 1 and bottom Hap 4. This sheet is integral with the portion l and tlap 4, and, in connection with the flaps 3 and 5, which are also integral with said portion 1, form the foldable blank shown in Fig. 6, which blank is formed of a single piece of paper or other suitable material cut out in the shape shown in any preferred way.

The upper or inner face of the letter or communication sheet 6 (shown in Fig. 6) is designed to receive any desired written or printed matter, and said sheet is adapted to be folded on the vertical line 7 over upon the body 1 and bottom ap 4, and the lower half of the sheet 6 and flap 4 are adapted to be folded on the horizontal line 8 over upon the upper half of said sheet, thus completing the formation of the letter-sheet envelop, which may be held closed or sealed by either of the 'iaps 3 and 5. When the sheet 6 contains printed or circular matter and is designed to be mailed as second-class mail-matter, the said sheet and flap 4 may be held in folded position, so as to be readily unfolded for inspection by the postal authorities by turning the flaps 3 and 5 in between the folds, whereupon said iaps will retain the sheet 6 and flap 4 against unfolding and will preserve the IOO envelop form, and at the same time by simply withdrawing these daps the letter-sheet may be unfolded for inspection. When a letter or other communication is Written on the sheet 6 or it is desired to send the lettersheet sealed as first-class mail-matter, one of the iaps may be turned in between the folds of the sheet and the other gummed to the rear surface of the flap 4, thus sealing the envelop. Preferably and ordinarily both aps 3 and 5 will have gummed edges, and, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, the flaps 3 may be turned in between the folds andthe flap 5 gummed to the back of the flap 4, or, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5, the flap 5 may be turned in between the folds and Hap 3 gummed to the back of flap 4. These flaps 3 and 5, which form interchangeably-usable sealing-fiaps, may be of any desired form and size to suit the purpose and afford a secure means of holding the folds closed in either of the ways mentioned against casual unfolding while the letter-sheet and envelop are in transit in the mails.

In the drawings, I have shown the sheet 6 printed to serve as a bill-head or statement, and by reference to Fig. 6, as an example of its use, it will be seen that a monthly statement of account is 'made up and is to be sent by the Concord Woolen Mills, Cr., to Diltridge and Rice,7 Dr., and that the space for the name and address of the latter is disposed on the upper half or address-section 6' of the sheet 6 and comes opposite the observation-space 2, so that when the lettersheet is folded in the manner previously described, the name and address of the sendee, but no other matter, will be exposed through said opening, as shown in Fig. l, whereby the sendees name and address as a part of the statement or communication will also serve as the envelop-address. I may, however, dispense with the opening 2 and use the outer surface of the portion l to receive the name and address of the sendee, as preferred; but the construction shown aords a simple and cheap mode of rendering bills, statements, and other business communications of like nature, as the sheet and envelop are combined and the necessity of writing the name and address of the sendee more than once obviated. As shown in Fig. 6, the bottom flap 4 may also be used as a part of the communication-sheet to receive written or printed matter and may contain the usual draft notice employed in connection with bills and statements. If desired, one of the gummed aps may be secured to the back of the address-section 6 and the other to the back of the bottom flap 4, or both may be secured to the back of Hap 4, thus making it practically impossible for anyone to gap the folded sheet or pull out the inside plies of the fold in an attempt to read the written matter without tearing or mutilating the sheet to an extent sucient to show that it has been tampered with.

From the foregoing description, takenin connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction, operation, and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent, it is thought, without requiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion, andthe minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. Acombined letter-sheet and envelopcomprising a body or face portion l, havinga bottom I'lap 4, and gummed-top and end flaps 3 and 5, and a letter-sheet 6 opposite said end flap and of a length corresponding to the body portion l and bottom flap 4, and adapted to be folded bodily on the vertical fold-line 7 over upon the same and its lower half adapted to be folded with the bottom flap 4 on the horizontal fold-line 8 over upon the upper half of the sheet, the folded sheet adapted to be held folded or sealed by either of said top or end flaps, one of which may be secured to an inner ply or section of the fold portion to hold the inner plies or sections of the fold from withdrawal and the other to the outer side of the fold portion to hold the same dat and form a sealed envelop, substantially as described.

2. Acombinedletter-sheetandenvelop,com prising a body or face portion 1 provided with an observation-opening 2, a bottom flap 4 and gummed top and end flaps 3 and 5, and a letter-sheet 6 opposite said end iiap 5 and provided with an address-section 6' opposite said observation-opening 2, said letter-sheet being of a length corresponding to the body portion l and bottom flap 4 and adapted to be folded bodily on the vertical fold-line 7 over upon the same and its lower half adapted to be folded with the bottom flap 4 on the horizontal fold-line 8 over upon the upper half or address-section of the sheet, whereby the address on said address-section will be disclosed through the opening 2, the folded sheet adapted to be held folded or sealed by either the said top flap or end flap, one of which may be secured to the address-section of the folded sheet and the other to the outer side of the bottom flap to secure the sheet in envelop form, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN W. RICE.

Witnesses:

W. O. GIFFORD, J As. E. BRANDON.

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